Uses and Functions of Laboratory Freezers and Refrigerators

02 December 2015

Laboratories run on precision, on an analytical work ethos that demands a sterile environment and a clinically austere setting. Every instrument and piece of equipment within the lab is calibrated to meet exacting standards. Temperature management is a critical part of this layout, an environmental factor that must be rigorously managed in order to keep science-based activity free of errors. In short form, sensitive chemical compounds and biological samples don’t react well to temperature changes. Thankfully, special laboratory freezers and refrigerators are designed with this knowledge in mind.

Masters of Dependable Refrigerated Storage

Place a lab sample, biological or non-biological, inside one of these precision cooling appliances and be assured of medical-grade refrigeration. In delivering this promise, microprocessor programming partners with digital readouts and state-of-the-art sensory electronics to maintain a uniform temperature profile. Next, a fan and venting assemblies keep the innards of the device scientifically attuned to the laboratory space. A fan circulates the air, distributing the cold air to every corner of the refrigerator. Next, environmental exactitude is applied to other airborne factors, such as humidity. Exacting environmental control attributes aside, the interior of each unit must also deliver on two other fronts, twin aspects we know as hygiene and compartment management. In other words, shelves and walls must be sterile and the compartments must be divided so that cross-contamination can be eliminated.

Usage Domains for Laboratory Freezers and Refrigerators

A dynamic application for a laboratory freezer is found in the storage of volatile chemicals, industrial-grade compounds that will explode if they’re exposed to the atmosphere. Alternatively but no less critical in application, these appliances store vaccines and blood samples. They use strong frames and thickly insulated panels to ensure heat loss is negated. Additional features and mechanical assemblies cope with door opening events, thus preventing the sample from being spoiled. Blood and plasma supplies are similarly protected, and research material receives even greater attention in the form of spoilage alarms and greater digital monitoring assets. The freezer variant of this concept goes deeper yet, taking samples far below zero degrees Celsius, a chilly realm that lays adjacent to cryogenic territory.

A handful of classifications guides the selection of laboratory freezers and refrigerators. Explosion-proof models use hardier housings and tighter seals to isolate volatile chemicals. Meanwhile, glass-fronted variants with rows of shelves equip research labs. At the end of the day, as long as reliability and hygiene crown the design philosophy, then the manufacturer is on the right path. A quick look inside will do the rest, showing off the compartments and spartan shelving, components that isolate the specimens and samples from each other, thus eliminating sample contamination. After installation, it’s all down to the lab personnel to keep this hygiene factor high by implementing a routine cleansing program.

Mark Connelly
C&M Coolroom Services
E-mail: markconnelly@cmcoolrooms.com.au
Mobile: 0412 536 315

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